Andrew Miller takes liner off wrist, entirety of New York bursts into flames

From a health perspective, it had been a good spring for the Yankees. That was a welcomed change of pace. Of course, all good things must end, for the world is a cruel and cold place filled with sadness.

Andrew Miller took a line drive off his right wrist in today’s game with the Braves. According to reporters at the game, Miller immediately walked off the field and slammed his glove down. That’s not a good sign, to say the least.

First, the good news. Miller pitches with his left hand, not his right, so this isn’t something that could throw his pitching abilities completely out of whack. Yet given Miller’s reaction, it’s hard to imagine that his wrist isn’t seriously injured. A broken wrist could sideline him for months. Life would get a little bit easier when Arolids Chapman returns from his suspension, but the Yankees could now potentially be without two of their best pitchers for a month.

Dellin Betances will be a more than capable closer in that time. But a Miller injury would exacerbate the soft underbelly that is the Yankees’ middle relief corps. Based on who is still in camp, the non-Betances relievers will be Chasen Shreve, Bryan Mitchell, Ivan Nova, Kirby Yates, and some combination of Johnny Barbato, Luis Cessa and Anthony Swarzak. Shreve and Mitchell are good, but the rest of the group is either uninspiring or, in the cases of Barbato and Cessa, untested. That’s not exactly an ideal situation when Yankee starters are often loath to pitch deep into games. Things could get ugly in a hurry.

UPDATE (6:20 p.m. ET): Miller’s x-rays have come back negative, the Yankees announced. The team is still awaiting a CT scan.

UPDATE (8:10 p.m. ET): Miller’s CT scan revealed a chip fracture in right wrist, and he’ll visit with a hand specialist to determine the next step.